MLB

Orioles 7, Royals 1

BALTIMORE (AP)

When Manny Machado arrived at Camden Yards amid much fanfare,
Orioles manager Buck Showalter insisted the 20-year-old player was
promoted for no other reason than to help the team win.

And that is precisely what Machado did in his second game in the
major leagues.

Machado thrust himself into the Orioles' record book by hitting
two home runs and driving in four runs, a power display that
carried Baltimore past the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Friday
night.

After going 2 for 4 in his debut on Thursday, Machado hit a solo
shot in the fifth inning and a three-run drive in the sixth. Both
homers came off Luke Hochevar (7-10) and landed in the left-field
seats.

The second clinched the victory, but Machado will never forget
his first home run trot in the big leagues.

''It was the best feeling ever,'' he said. ''The crowd here
loves me, and for them to support me like that, after my first home
run, it just felt great.''

After the second one, Machado was pushed out the dugout by
teammate Adam Jones to acknowledge the request of a curtain call by
the crowd of 17,277.

''It was great,'' Machado said. ''I've dreamed about that my
whole life, about going out there and getting that curtain call,
and second game in the big leagues I get it.''

At 20 years and 35 days old, Machado is the youngest Oriole ever
to have a multihomer game. Boog Powell was 20 years and 258 days
old when he homered twice against Minnesota in May 1962.

Machado also became the 12th youngest major leaguer since 1918
to hit at least two home runs in a game.

Machado, the third overall pick in the 2010 draft, went 2 for 4
in his second straight start at third base. He had never played
above the Double-A level before Thursday night.

And that explains why manager Buck Showalter was cautious in his
praise of the youngster.

''It's two games. He's off to a good start,'' Showalter said.
''He's hit some mistakes and hit them well, which guys have to do
up here. He'll have the kitchen sink thrown at him and we'll see
how it goes. But so far, so good.''

Miguel Gonzalez (4-2) allowed one run and six hits in eight
innings, striking out five and walking one. The right-hander was
0-2 with a 10.80 ERA in two home starts.

Salvador Perez homered for the Royals, who lost for the second
time in six games. Hochevar had allowed only 13 homers in 22 starts
before giving up three in this one.

''That's what it falls on: three mistakes that they didn't
miss,'' said Hochevar, who went 5 1-3 innings. ''Hitters don't
usually miss mistakes at this level.''

Not even Machado in his second game.

''These last two games he's played really well. He's hit
mistakes, he's hit good pitches,'' Hochevar said. ''He's having
some really, really good at-bats. Plays good defense and obviously
swinging it well right now.''

Baltimore led 2-1 before Machado notched his first home run and
RBI with one swing at a 3-2 pitch. In the sixth, after Nate McLouth
doubled in a run, Machado connected on a 1-2 pitch for a 7-1
lead.

Machado's heroics overshadowed a fine performance by another
Baltimore rookie, Gonzalez, who went eight innings for the first
time.

In his previous two starts at home, Gonzalez twice gave up a
home run to the first batter he faced and yielded a combined six
first-inning runs. He reversed that trend by striking out leadoff
hitter Alex Gordon to begin a 1-2-3 first.

Perez hit a drive over the right-field wall in the second inning
to put the Royals up 1-0. It was the 10th homer allowed by Gonzalez
in 48 2-3 innings, although nine of those 10 home runs have been
solo shots.

In the bottom half, Wilson Betemit led off with a double, and
Quintanilla homered with two outs.

NOTES: The same fan ended up with both of Machado's home-run
ball. Adam Corder traded the first ball for several signed
baseballs and a bat. He opted to keep the second ball. ... Royals
CF Jarrod Dyson left in the eighth inning with a twisted left
ankle. ... Orioles LHP Chris Tillman (5-1, 2.38 ERA) pitches
Saturday in the third game of the series. KC will start Luis
Mendoza (5-8, 4.36), who hasn't faced Baltimore since 2008 with
Texas. ... The Orioles set the starting time for their Aug. 30 game
against the Chicago White Sox at 12:35. The early start is because
the Baltimore Grand Prix begins the following day. ... Quintanilla
had three hits to up his batting average to .333.

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